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Way back in 1836, Samuel F. B. Morse, along with Joseph Henry and Alfred Vail, invented an electrical telegraph system. Before telephones were invented, it could send messages over long distances by using pulses of electricity to signal a machine to make marks on a moving paper tape.

A code was necessary to help translate the marks on the paper tape into readable text messages. Morse developed the first version of this code.

His version included only numbers. Vail soon expanded it to include letters and a few special characters, such as punctuation marks.

The code — known as Morse code — assigned each number, letter or special character a unique sequence of short and long signals called "dots" and "dashes."

In Morse codetransmission, the short dot signal is the basic time measurement. A long dash signal is equal to three dots. Each dot or dash is followed by a short silence that's equal to a dot.

If you wonder how they decided which combination of signals was assigned to each letter, they studied how often each letter in the English language was used.

The most used letters were given the shorter sequences of dots and dashes. For example, the most commonly used letter in the English language — E — is represented by a single dot.

The original telegraph machines made a clicking noise as they marked the moving paper tape. The paper tape eventually became unnecessary.

Telegraph operators soon learned that they could translate the clicks directly into dots and dashes. Later, operators were trained in Morse code by studying it as a language that was heard rather than read from a page.

Although Morse originally referred to code signals as dots and dashes, operators began to vocalize dots as “dits" and dashes as “dahs" to mimic the sound of Morse code receivers.

Today, it's possible to transmit messages in Morse code in any way that dots and dashes can be communicated. This includes sounds and lights, as well as printed dots and dashes.

Morse code was critical for communication during World War II. It was also used as an international standard for communication at sea until 1999, when it was replaced by the Global MaritimeDistress Safety System. The new system takes advantage of advances in technology, such as satellite communication.

Today, Morse code remains popular with amateur radio operators around the world. It is also commonly used for emergency signals. It can be sent in a variety of ways with improvised devices that can be switched easily on and off, such as flashlights.

The international Morse codedistress signal ( · · · — — — · · · ) was first used by the German government in 1905 and became the standarddistress signal around the world just a few years later. The repeated pattern of three dots followed by three dashes was easy to remember and chosen for its simplicity.

In Morse code, three dots form the letter S and three dashes form the letter O, so SOS became a shorthand way to remember the sequence of the code. Later, SOS was associated with certain phrases, such as “save our ship" and “save our souls."

These were just easy ways to remember SOS, though. The letters themselves have no such inherent meaning.

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Wonderopolis

Apr 28, 2017

It does still get some use - we suspect the military uses it in certain situations. As great as our technology is, if it breaks down, Morse Code is a great system to fall back on. Thanks for WONDERing with us!

Peyton Nicole Stoner

bjhgluh

Wonderopolis

Wonderopolis

Oct 22, 2016

Thank you for asking, Peyton! The following is how you would cite this Wonder ---> "Why Was Morse Code Invented?" Wonderopolis. Web. 20 Oct. 2016. www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-was-morse-code-invented

Peyton Nicole Stoner

Wonderopolis

Nov 2, 2016

Yes, Peyton. This is the website we use for MLA format guidance: https://owl.english.purdue.edu/owl/resource/747/08/. However, in reviewing the OWL webpage, we realized "Wonderopolis" should be in italics and it's no longer necessary to type "web." So this is the updated citation --> "Why Was Morse Code Invented?" Wonderopolis. 20 Oct. 2016. www.wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-was-morse-code-invented

noah

Wonderopolis

Walter

Sep 24, 2015

Loved your article and hope you can help me solve a Morse code mystery. If you listen to Beethoven's 5th Symphony, you will distinctly hear "dit dit dit dah" which happens to be the letter "V" in Morse code. The letter "V" is also the Roman numeral for the number 5. I've been told that the musical notes used in Beethoven's 5th Symphony for "dit dit dit dah" is "e flat, e flat, e flat, e". And "e" just happens to be the 5th letter of the alphabet. Beethoven was born December 17, 1770 and died March 26, 1827. I know Samuel Morse wanted to use the shortest code to represent the most commonly used letters. But is the relationship between his code and Beethoven simply a coincidence? Can you help me with this mystery?

GoldenStar

Mar 26, 2017

That is amazing! A-M-A-Z-I-N-G! But I have some news. That performance was often referred to as the victory symphony in WW2. And of course, V is the start of Victory. "V for Victory" was known as a campaign for the Allies. V is the Roman Numeral for Five. This is Beethoven's fifth symphony. "E flat E flat E flat E" is the opening. This is similar to "dit dit dit dah". This is Morse Code for V. The E flat/E is the fifth letter.
All I can tell you is that it is either a coincidence, or Samuel Morse really liked Beethoven. I mean, Symphony 5 was popular during WW2.

priscila

Wonderopolis

Wonderopolis

Sep 25, 2015

Hi, Walter! We're THRILLED to hear you liked this Wonder. This Morse Code is very interesting. Maybe our WONDER Friends will be able to help! We encourage you to also keep researching at your library and online! Have fun and keep up the GREAT work! :)

Wonderopolis

Feb 23, 2015

Welcome, cookie! We are glad you loved this WONDER. We love seeing your enthusiasm about WONDERing!!!! Unfortunately, we did need to remove a few of your !, so that your comment would fit into the appropriate space (our comment section treats exclamation points differently than regular letters, and sends them flying off the right side of the page!). We hope you understand. We REALLY appreciate all the WONDERful comments you share with us when you visit! :-)

Mrs. Lumpkin

Nov 19, 2013

Thank you for this wonder of the day . . . it fit in beautifully with our inventions unit! However, it was difficult decoding your message due to the fact that some of the dashes came out as single dashes. For example, instead of two small dashes it was a medium dash and instead of three small dashes it was a long dash. At least, that's how it looked on my computer. Not to worry . . . I did figure it out!!

Wonderopolis

Wonderopolis

Dec 14, 2012

Great question, Madelyn! Samuel F.B. Morse, along with two others, invented morse code! He named it after himself, too! We bet you can find out more about the code itself in this Wonder! Have a SUPER day, Madelyn! :)

madelyn tuckner

lylla

Wonderopolis

Aug 9, 2012

We LOVE an upbeat tune, a slow jazz piece and a classical piano solo, Lylla! We are so THRILLED you have such an appreciation for music. Take a look as some of our past Wonders to further your musical knowledge:
Wonder #665-- How Do You Play the Piano? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/how-do-you-play-the-piano/
Wonder #69-- Why Do Orchestras Need So Many People? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/why-do-orchestras-need-so-many-people/
:)

lylla

Jul 31, 2012

Have you ever heard of Hatsune Miku? She's my idol!! Well if you havent she's a "vocaloid" a virtual voice--she's known world wide!!! Everyone loves her!! She's 16 but here's the weird thing... she not real! She's a hologram but she looks real and her voice is completley computer generated!! And so are her movements! She's not even that tall, she's only 5'2".

Wonderopolis

Jul 31, 2012

Thanks for sharing with us today, Lylla! We LOVE to learn about new songs, artists and pop culture icons. How interesting that a computer-generated artist can produce such great tunes! Speaking of new sounds, have you checked out this past wonder?
Wonder #161-- What Makes Sounds Louder? http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/what-makes-sounds-louder/ :)

lylla

Wonderopolis

lylla

Jul 8, 2012

yay! and do u like music! my fave band is Nightcore! they sound dark but their music is really good! my fave song is... well the name is strange but i like it the song is Angel with a shotgun... i told u it was strange but give it a try and tell me what u think of the song!!!

lylla

Wonderopolis

lylla

Jul 7, 2012

hey... well i just wanted to say my name isnt really lylla its morgan but a lot of my friends call me that... i dont really know why... anyway the only reason i did that is because i dont really trust new people... at first! but im really warmingup to u guys! i like to think of u guys as friends now! plz dont be offended that i lied about my name!

Wonderopolis

lylla

Jul 7, 2012

and two more things 1st for the question how many flowers can a bee pollinate idk but heres a hint... a bee needs to visit over 2 million flowers to make 1 average size jar of honey and 2nd for the camp thing do i check this page or the home page?

lylla

Wonderopolis

Jul 7, 2012

We WONDER about lots of stuff. Like today, we were WONDERing about jitterbugs. Have you ever WONDERed about them? You should check out Wonder of the Day #524: Do Jitterbugs Bite: http://wonderopolis.org/wonder/do-jitterbugs-bite/

lylla

Jul 6, 2012

i know this seems a little off topic but... does anyone like to draw? i LOVE it!!! it allows me to express myself for who i am without any criticism! i wish i could show u all because yr all wonderful people!!

I never really thought about WHEN morse code was invented before... thanks for posting such a complete yet easy to read history! My hubby loves being a HAM and I'm trying to learn more about it so I can keep up with him :)

Clayton

Wonderopolis

May 26, 2011

What a GREAT question, Clayton! We know that Morse Code was a super important form of communication during World War ll. It was also used as an international standard for communication at sea until 1999, so that tells us it was used during the Cold War, too! Thanks so much for commenting today! :-)